Pia warns Palace: Don't invoke executive privilege
in fertilizer fund scam probe

Senator Pia S. Cayetano today cautioned the Arroyo administration against suppressing the truth at the Senate hearings on the reopened P728-million fertilizer fund scam following the unimpressive testimony of former agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn 'Joc-joc' Bolante Thursday.

"Malacañang should think twice before invoking executive privilege or restraining agriculture officials from telling the truth at the Senate next week just to cover up for Bolante's grossly incredulous testimony," warned the lady senator.

Cayetano made the statement after Deputy Presidential Spokeswoman Lorelei Fajardo suggested in a media interview Thursday that Malacañang may invoke executive privilege to stop officials of the Department of Agriculture (DA) from testifying at the reopened probe.

"It's a shame that the Executive Branch is even floating the idea of invoking executive privilege over what clearly is a multi-million-peso scam that has been thoroughly documented by the Commission on Audit, the Senate, media and civil society groups," she said.

"How can the Palace consider derailing the inquiry when millions of Filipinos following this issue are aware that so much taxpayers' money may have been lost from the public coffers?" she asked.

"Whoever made the suggestion [to consider invoking executive privilege] should be fired by Mrs. Arroyo," she stressed.

Cayetano urged the Executive to instead allow DA operations personnel and regional officers to freely testify before the senators to test Bolante's claim that he had no hand in the release of the funds at the local level. All official documents relating to the fund should also be made available for scrutiny.

"It is said that this regime was built on fraud, and from all indications, it also seems bent on perpetuating itself through lies and cover-ups, and even more fraud."

"Where else can you see a public official given so much power to disburse millions of government money, but who doesn't see the need to exercise a shred of responsibility in ensuring how these funds are used or whoever ends up with it?"

"Bolante's incredible testimony can be summed up in just three words: 'governance without accountability.'"

It's precisely this kind of governance that has bred so much public distrust and discontent with the Arroyo administration," she concluded.